Window securing device



June 21, 1966 H.w. GAIN WINDOW SECURING DEVICE Filed Oct. 1, 1964 J W/ M W a H INVENTOR Henry w. Gain l PM! UMZ gu Z 8 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,256,63 WINDOW SECURING DEVICE Henry W. Gain, 28 Prospect St., Claremont, NH. Filed Oct. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 400,693 9 Claims. (Cl. 49276) This invention relates to window securing devices, and in particular relates to devices which are designed to secure window sashes and the like in a desired position in an effective and economical manner and without rattling of the sash, while still facilitating the easy raising and lowering thereof.

Broadly stated, this invention involves the use of one or more permanent magnets cooperating either with other permanent magnets or with magnetically permeable material; and, in practicing the invention, a permanent magnet is fastened to one of the parts to be secured and a steel or other magnetically permeable element is secured to the other of such parts. In particular, in the preferred embodiment of my invention, I provide at least one permanent magnet element which is embedded in the side rail constituting a part of the window sash and a permeable strip disposed along the length of the recess in which the sash slides, and with the parts adapted so that, when it is desired to hold the sash in any desired position, the permanent magnet may come into intimate contact with the metal strip and thus tightly hold the sash in position by reason of the frictional forces between the magnet and the strip. It is a further feature of this invention that a manually operable means is provided, accessible readily to one desiring to raise or lower the Window, which makes it possible to laterally shift the position of the sash a slight amount so as to provide a small spacing between the permanent magnet and the magnetically permeable strip, thereby making it possible to either raise or lowerv the sash without having the magnet in close contact with the strip. As a result, there is no scraping of the magnet against the strip which would ordinarily result in metal filings becoming deposited in the restricted channel which exists between the edge of the sash and the recess in which it slides.

It is thus an object of the invention to provide a securing means for a window sash or the like which embodies the use of a permanent magnet and an associated magnetically permeable strip, one of the foregoing elements being mounted on the sash and the other on the window frame in which the sash slides, and with additional means being provided to allow the aforesaid two elements to be in close magnetic coupling relationship when the sash is to be held in any desired position while at the same time permitting a slight spacing to be produced therebetween when the sash is to be raised or lowered.

It is a further object of this invention to provide securing means for a window sash of the type which is selectively raised or lowered which employs at least one permanent magnet element adapted to make a close magnetic coupling relationship with an associated metal strip so as to hold the window in position, which further includes means for separating the aforesaid elements when the sash is to be raised or lowered, and also includes roller elements, disposed with at least one thereof on each side of the sash so that the sash can very easily be raised or lowered since the just-mentioned rollers ensure that there shall be only low friction between the sash and its frame.

In describing the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view of a typical double-hung sash mounted in a window frame and employing the securing means of the present invention for each sash shown;

FIGURE 2 is a view. partly in section, of a portion of 3,255,639 Patented June 21, 1966 FIGURE 1, particularly illustrating the arrangement of the permanent magnet, its associated metal strip, and the means for selectively separating the two or allowing them to be brought together in a close magnetic coupling relationship;

FIGURE 2A is a view similar to that of FIGURE 2, but particularly illustrating the means for selectively separating the permanent magnet and its associated metal strip;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 1 illustrates a conventional double-hung window having an upper sash 10 and a lower sash 11 both fittedwith a frame 12, and with each sash adapted to move vertically in individual tracks provided therefor in the conventional manner. Since the upper and lower window sashes 10 and 11 are similar with respect to their incorporating the apparatus of the present invention, the following description will be limited to the securing means associated with the upper sash 10.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a permanent magnet 13 is provided for the upper end of the left side of the upper sash 10, and this permanent magnet 13 is shown in greater detail in FIGURES 2, 2A, and 3. Immediately the magnet 13 is a manually operable means 14 which permits the effective disengagement of permanent magnet 13 with respect to its associated permeable, strip so as to make it possible to conveniently raise or lower the sash 10. This means 14 is also shown in greater detail as, for example, in FIGURES 2, 2A and. 4.

FIGURE 1 further illustrates that additional rollers 15 may be embedded in recesses in the side rails of the sash 10 and may, as shown in FIGURE 1, be provided adjacent each of the remaining three corners of the sash, thereby resulting in a rolling engagement between the sash and the frame in which it fits as the sash is raised or lowered. The use of such additional rollers is not essential, however, and may be eliminated to decrease the cost of the complete combination, although the use of such rollers is desirable in further reducing friction and thereby making it very easy to raise and lower the sash.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the permanent magnet 13 is illustrated as fitting partially Within a recess in the side rail of the sash and being held in place in such recesses by screw 16.

FIGURE 3 illustrates more fully the shape of the permanent magnet 13, particularly illustrating the U-shaped cross section that it has by reason of the slot 17 provided therein which provides opposing north and south pole faces 18 and 19. As is best illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 2A, the permanent magnet may be formed of circular cross section in the vertical plane to facilitate its assembly in the sash since this makes it necessary only to drill a hole in the side of the sash of the proper diameter to receive the permanent magnet of circular cross section and then to secure the permanent magnet in place by means of the screw 16.

FIGURES 2, 2A, 3, and 4, all show the magnetically permeable strip 21} with Which the permanent magnet 13 makes contact at its respective pole faces 18 and 19 when it is desired that the sash be held in any predetermined vertical position. Preferably, the permanent magnet 13 is of the type which has an extremely high permeability so that even a small magnet, when in engagement with the permeable strip, will provide sufficient frictional resistance relative to such strip to effectively hold the sash in a predetermined vertical position. Of course, it will be appreciated that, in the event the available dimensions, weight of sash, and permeability of the magnetic material are such that a single magnet of the type illustrated is insulficient to retain the position of the sash in a desired vertical position, one or more additional permanent magnets may be employed, with such additional magnets being preferably positioned in the same side of the sash as the permanent magnet 13 and cooperating with the same vertical permeable strip 20.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 2A and 4, these figures show the details of the means which is provided to selectively engage and disengage the magnet 13 with the permeable strip 20. In FIGURE 2, the magnet 13 is shown as being in direct contact with the strip 20, with the result that there is a strong tractive force which tends to press the magnet 13 and consequently the entire sash 10 tightly toward the strip 20, and the resulting strong normal force between the pole faces of the magnet and the strip 20 produces considerable frictional engagement so as to overcome any tendency of the window sash 10 to drop downwardly in its respective right and left channels. It will further be noted in FIGURE 2 that the roller or wheel 21 makes engagement with the strip 20. The roller 21 may comprise a rim 22 about which is fitted a tire 23 of rubber or plastic or similar material so that it can roll relatively noiselessly along the metal strip 20 when the sash is raised or lowered. In this connection, it should be pointed out that each of the remaining rollers shown in FIGURE 1 may be of generally similar construction in that they may comprise rubbertired wheels rotatable in their respective recesses about respective axes with each axis supported in a through hole in the side rail of the sash.

With respect to the Wheel 21, the axis about which it rotates is movable from the position that it occupies in FIGURE 2 to a position slightly to the left of that shown, and it will be clear that as the axis is thus forcibly moved to the left relative to the sash, a force will be exerted between the wheel 21 and strip where the two are in contact, and this force will have the tendency of shifting the sash 10 horizontally to the right, thereby effecting disengagement between the magnet 13 and the strip 20. When this is accomplished, all frictional sliding engagement between the magnet and the strip 20 is removed, so that the sash can then be conveniently lowered or raised and with substantially no frictional contact because the sash is then riding effectively upon the rollers disposed at the four corners of the sash. Although the lateral shift of the sash to effect the disengagement between the magnets 13 and strip 20 may be only slight, it will be evident that the dimension of the parts may be such that such lateral engagement will tend to force the rollers 15 on the opposite side of the window quite tightly against the channel in which they ride, thereby providing some resistance to upward and downward movement of the sash, and this may be desirable where the sash is of relatively heavy weight since it will tend to reduce the apparent weight of the sash which is borne by the person attempting to raise or lower the sash.

FIGURES 2A and 4 illustrate one means by which an accessible and manually operable means may be provided to selectively engage and disengage the recessed magnet 13 relative to the permeable strip 20. Such control means may comprise a plate 25, which is fastened to the sash by means of screws 26 or other suitable fastener means, and this plate defines therein an arcuate slot 27 through which extends the shaft 28 which forms the axis of roller 21. The plate may be used as a template to determine the position and dimensions of a corresponding arcuate slot which is drilled into the side rail 29 of the sash. The shaft 28 about which wheel 21 revolves has an axial length sufficient so that a portion thereof extends through the aligned arcuate slots in the sash and plate 25, and a lever 30 is provided which has an aperture at its upper end which is adapted to receive this extension of the axial member 28. Lever 30 is rotatable about a pivot 31, which pivot may be provided by defining an aperture in the lever 30 through which a screw is passed and threaded into the side rail member 29 of sash 10. The aperture in lever 30 which receives the end of shaft 28 securely grips such shaft; if desired, the shaft 28 may be splined and the lever 30 force-fitted thereon in assembly of the unit.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that a counterclockwise rotation of the lever member 30 about its pivot point 31 will have the effect of moving the axial member 28 to the left relative to the side rail 29 of sash 10 in the arcuate slot 27, thereby also moving the rubber-tired wheel 21 to the left and resulting in the disengagement, by a slight amount, of magnet 13 and rail 20. If such disengagement is maintained by holding the lever 30 in its rotated counterclockwise position, then vertical movement of the sash can readily take place. When the lever 30 is released, the tractive force existing between the magnet 13 and the strip 20 tends to force the sash leftward so as to bring the magnet into intimate contact with the strip 20, thereby also tending to force the wheel 21 further in its recess, i.e. with its axis displaced laterally to the right, and with a resulting restoration of the lever 30 to the normal position.

With respect to the additional rollers which may be provided as shown in FIGURE 1, a fixed axis for each is all that is required rather than the movable axis of FIGURES 2A and 4 which latter is required only for the roller which is adjacent to the permanent magnet 13.

Having described an improved securing means for a window sash which makes use of permanent magnet elements and cooperating manually operable means for selectively engaging and disengaging such permanent magnet elements with a permeable magnetic means, it is to be understood that various modifications and alterations may be made to the specific form shown without in any manner departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a window sash adapted for vertical adjustment in opposing channels of a respective frame the improvement which comprises means for adjustably securing said sash in different vertical positions in said frame and including in combination, a permanent magnet adapted to fit into a recess in a side of said sash, a magnetically permeable metal strip attached to said frame and positioned to come in close contact with said magnet in various vertical positions of said sash in said frame, and means operatively connected to said sash adjacent said permanent magnet for selectively displacing said sash horizontally in said frame to separate said magnet and said strip, said last-named means including manually operable means operable from a first position in which said last-named means permits close contact between said permanent magnet and said strip to a second position wherein said sash is horizontally displaced to separate said permanent magnet from said strip.

2. The improvement as defined in claim 1 wherein said last-named means includes a roller fitting into a recess in the side of said sash nearest said permeable strip, an axle about which said roller rotates in the plane of said sash, said manually operable means permitting horizontal adjustment of the position of said axle to thereby move said roller relative to said sash and thereby selectively force said magnet attached to said sash away from said strip.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which said last-named means includes a slot defined in the side rail of said slot and through which said axle extends, said manually operable means connected to said shaft for adjusting the horizontal position of said shaft along'the length of said slot.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said manually operable means includes a manually operable lever, a pivot for said lever intermediate between its ends and secured to the side rail of said sash, said lever at one end thereof being connected to said axle of said wheel, whereby rotation of said lever about its pivot results in translational motion of said axle in said slot to thereby move said wheel relative to said sash.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which said slot is of semi-circular shape about said pivot as its center.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 1 which further includes at least one roller fitting into a recess in the side rail forming the side of said sash which is opposite the side supporting said magnet, an axle for said roller, said roller being adapted to roll along the length of said chan-' nel in which said sash moves.

7. Securing means for a window sash vertically adjustable slidably in opposing channels of a window frame comprising, a permanent magnet, a magnetically permeable strip secured to one of said channels of said frame, a recess in the side of said sash which is slidable in said one channel for receiving said magnet, means for securing said magnet in said recess, and manually operable means operable from a first position to a second position, said magnet and said strip and said manually operable means in said first position cooperating jointly to engage said magnet directly against said strip whereby the frictional engagement therebetween holds said sash in position in said channels of said frame, said magnet and said stripand said manually operable means in said second position cooperating jointly to move said sash horizontally in said b frame and separate said magnet and said strip whereby said frictional engagement is released and said sash is readily vertically adjustable in said channels.

8. The securing means of claim 7 in which said manually operable means includes, a roller fitting in a recess in the side of said sash closest to said strip and disposed closely adjacent to said magnet, an axle about which said roller rotates, said axle being so positioned and said roller so dimensioned that said roller substantially at all times rolls on said strip, and handle means for laterally shifting the position of said axle.

9. The securing means of claim 7 wherein said magnet is of generally circular cross section in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said sash and parallel to the direction of its slidable movement in the channels of said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 451,603 5/1891 Sterry 2069 2,9093 84- 10/ 1959 Saxton 2-92251.2

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,341,221 9/1963 France.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

A. I. BREIER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A WINDOW SASH ADAPTED FOR VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT IN OPPOSING CHANNELS OF A RESPECTIVE FRAME THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLY SECURING SAID SASH IN DIFFERENT VERTICAL POSITIONS IN SAID FRAME AND INCLUDING IN COMBINATION, A PERMANEMT MAGNET ADAPTED TO FIT INTO A RECESS IN A SIDE OF SAID SASH, A MAGNETICALLY PERMEABLE METAL STRIP ATTACHED TO SAID FRAME AND POSITIONED TO COME IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH SAID MAGNET IN VARIOUS VERTICAL POSITIONS OF SAID SASH IN SAID FRAME, AND MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID SASH ADJACENT SAID PERMANENT MAGNET FOR SELECTIVELY DISPLACING SAID SASH HORIZONTALLY IN SAID FRAME TO SEPARATE SAID MAGNET AND SAID STRIP, SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS INCLUDING MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS OPERABLE FROM A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH SAID LASE-NAMED MEANS PERMITS CLOSE CONTACT BETWEEN SAID PERMANENT MAGNET AND SAID STRIP TO A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN SAID SASH IS HORIZONTALLY DISPLACED TO SEPARATE SAID PERMANENT MAGNET FROM SAID STRIP. 